Capitol Reef National Park VIRTUAL TRAVEL

Entry Points:

About Capitol Reef

Layers of sedimentary stone, tilted up at an odd angle, and weathered away by wind and rain, have created this intriguing wilderness of jagged canyons, stone formations and "pockets", always punctuated by the characteristic triangular shape of layers of rock sticking into the air. It became known as the Waterpocket Fold because low areas, eroded from the surrounding rock, collect pockets of water. This 100-mile-long geologic feature extends northward from the Colorado River to Thousand Lakes Mountain.

Capitol Reef National Park was established December 18, 1971 to preserve the unique geology of the Waterpocket Fold. It covers 254,368 acres and was visited by 680,153 people in 1999.

The Fremont River cuts through the Waterpocket Fold in the center of the Park, and Utah Highway 24 follows this route.